Standards

On The Sunny Side Of The Street chords & key

Key: C major
Form: AABA
Bars: 32
Groove: Medium swing
Time signature: 4/4

“On The Sunny Side Of The Street” is a jazz standard by Jimmy McHugh. Most bands play it in C major, medium swing; the tune runs 32 bars in AABA form. Harmonically it contains 5 major ii–V–I cadences and 1 minor ii–V–i, uses 13 different chords and moves between the key centres C major, D minor and F major. In this atlas it appears on 24 album tracks.

Chord changes

to key

Showing in: Concert (C) — C major

C⁶

E⁷

F^maj7

C⁶_/GE^7♭9_/A♭

A^m7

D⁷

D^m7G⁷

E^m7A⁷D^m7G⁷

D^m7G⁷

C⁶

G^m7

C⁷

F^maj7

A^m7

D⁷

D^m7

G⁷

C⁶

E⁷

F^maj7

C⁶_/GE^7♭9_/A♭

A^m7

D⁷

D^m7G⁷

C⁶G⁷

Changes as commonly played (concert pitch). Your band's version may differ.

Harmonic analysis

5Major ii–V–I

1Minor ii–V–i

11ii–V moves

0Tritone substitutions

0Dominant chains

13Different chords

Most used chords

G⁷×6
C⁶×5
F^maj7×5
D^m7×5
A^m7×4
D⁷×4

Key centres reached by ii–V

C major, D minor and F major

Characteristics

AABA song form

Recorded on these albums

1947	Frankie Laine Sings Frankie Laine · “On the Sunny Side of the Street”
1948	Benny Goodman and His Orchestra and Sextet; Vocals by Peggy Lee Benny Goodman and His Orchestra and Sextet, vocals by Peggy Lee · “On the Sunny Side of the Street”
1949	Erroll Garner at the Piano Erroll Garner · “On the Sunny Side of the Street”
1953	Overture to Dawn, Volume 3 Erroll Garner · “On the Sunny Side of the Street”
1954	Lester Young with the Oscar Peterson Trio #2 Lester Young with The Oscar Peterson Trio · “On the Sunny Side of the Street”
1955	Oscar Peterson Plays Jimmy McHugh Oscar Peterson · “Sunny Side of the Street”
1955	Tops on Tenor Chu Berry, Lester Young · “On the Sunny Side of the Street”
1956	The Champ Dizzy Gillespie · “On the Sunny Side of the Street”
1956	In the Land of Hi-Fi Dinah Washington · “Sunny Side of the Street”
1956	I Got Rhythm Teddy Wilson · “On the Sunny Side of the Street”
1956	Everybody Dance the Honky Tonk Bill Doggett · “On the Sunny Side of the Street”
1958	Politely! Keely Smith · “On the Sunny Side of the Street”
1959	Oscar Peterson Plays the Jimmy McHugh Song Book Oscar Peterson · “On the Sunny Side of the Street”
1959	Sonny Side Up Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny Stitt & Sonny Rollins · “On the Sunny Side of the Street”
1959	The Vibraphone Players of Bethlehem, Volume 1 Teddy Charles and His Sextet · “On the Sunny Side of the Street”
1960	Still More of the Greatest Piano of Them All Art Tatum · “On the Sunny Side of the Street”
1960	The Rhythms & Ballads Of Broadway Johnny Mathis · “On the Sunny Side of the Street”
1961	Come Swing With Me! Frank Sinatra · “On the Sunny Side of the Street”
1961	The Ballads of Broadway Johnny Mathis · “On the Sunny Side of the Street”
1962	Swing Low, Sweet Clarinet Woody Herman · “On the Sunny Side of the Street”
1962	Swing Low, Sweet Clarinet Woody Herman · “On the Sunny Side of the Street”
1963	Ella and Basie! Ella Fitzgerald & The Count Basie Orchestra · “On the Sunny Side of the Street”
1963	Plenty Of Pete Pete Fountain · “On the Sunny Side of the Street”
1965	Paris Session Earl Hines

Historic 78 rpm recordings

On the Sunny Side of the Street Errol Garner · Fields · McHugh archive.org ↗
On the Sunny Side of the Street Buck Clayton's Big Four · Buck Clayton · Tiny Grimes · Scoville… archive.org ↗
ON THE SUNNY SIDE OF THE STREET BUCK CLAYTON'S BIG FOUR · Buck Clayton · Tiny Grimes · Scoville… archive.org ↗
On the SUNNY SIDE of the STREET (F) NEELY PLUMB AND HIS ORCHESTRA · Stan Wrightsman · Bob Simmers · Nick… archive.org ↗
ON THE SUNNY SIDE OF THE STREET COLEMAN HAWKINS · "Buck" Washington · McHugh & Fields archive.org ↗
ON THE SUNNY SIDE OF THE STREET HARRY PARRY AND HIS RADIO SEXTET · McHugh · 1930 archive.org ↗
ON THE SUNNY SIDE OF THE STREET COLEMAN HAWKINS · "Buck" Washington · Jimmy McHugh · Dorothy Fields · 1934 archive.org ↗
On the Sunny Side of the Street Buck Clayton's Big Four · Buck Clayton · Tiny Grimes · Scoville… · 1946 archive.org ↗

Standards with similar changes

Similarity of the chord progression, independent of key.

Title	Composer	Key	Form	Groove
When You're Smilin' 44%	Shay - Fisher - Goodwin	B♭ major	AB · 32	Medium swing
The Joker 43%	Lee Morgan	E♭ major	AABA · 32	Medium swing
Moonlight Becomes You 37%	Jimmy Van-Heusen	F major	AABA · 34	Ballad
I May Be Wrong 34%	Henry Sullivan	E♭ major	AABC · 32	Medium swing
Surrey With The Fringe On The Top 33%	Richard Rodgers	B♭ major	AABAC · 40	Medium swing
That's All 33%	Haymes-Brandt	B♭ major	AABA · 32	Medium swing
Eclypso 32%	Tommy Flanagan	E♭ major	AABA · 32	Latin/swing
September In The Rain 32%	Harry Warren	E♭ major	AABA · 32	Medium swing

Frequently asked questions

What key is On The Sunny Side Of The Street in?

On The Sunny Side Of The Street is usually played in C major. For B♭ instruments that is D major, for E♭ instruments A major.

Who wrote On The Sunny Side Of The Street?

On The Sunny Side Of The Street was written by Jimmy McHugh.

What is the form of On The Sunny Side Of The Street?

On The Sunny Side Of The Street has 4 sections (AABA) with 32 bars in total.

How fast is On The Sunny Side Of The Street played?

The usual groove is Medium swing.

What are the chord changes to On The Sunny Side Of The Street?

The opening bars are C6 | E7 | Fmaj7 | C6/G E7b9/Ab. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.